My Birthday Present
by Seductive Venus
Summary: She gives him the best birthday gift ever.


_(18. Open your eyes)_

**My Birthday Present**

"Hey, it's my birthday tomorrow!"

_Yes, I know_. Hyuuga Hinata smiled as she felt his arm wrap around her small shoulders. She breathed deeply and enjoyed the faint sweet scent she inhaled from him. It was in times like this she wished she could imagine romance but his gesture was borne from friendship and familiarity. "How old are you now?" she asked, hiding her smile.

Uzumaki Naruto let out a great whoop of laughter. She grinned as well. "I'm twenty-one! You couldn't have forgotten that?"

She shook her head. "I didn't. I just wanted to make sure."

He laughed as she gracefully removed his arm away from her. Her laughter rang in his ears after she stuck a tongue her tongue out playfully at him. This was definitely a good day. Hinata was joking and laughing with him. He rarely saw his best friend like this for a while now. One of their friends had suggested that she must've been feeling out of it. He was really glad that she was back.

"Well, the boys and I are going to have some drinks and drink some more when the clock turns midnight! To celebrate my true manhood!" he said with almost-childish pride. Her smile wavered slightly but it was back on almost at once. He'd never spent his birthdays with her even though they were best of friends ever since they were sixteen. Sometimes life got in the way and took him for a mission and sometimes his guy-friends stole him for drinks and other things. Or she wasn't there. She celebrated with him, of course, but she wanted this momentous event to be spent with her. For once she wanted to ask him something she wanted very badly.

She wanted to be his already. Six years had already been too long for a girl to endure. She'd loved him since her girlhood and she couldn't imagine anyone else in her private fantasies. Hinata might be shy and reserved but one had to respect her quiet determination. She became a best friend by approaching him and got over her shyness and speech impediment at the same day. By doing so she was hopeful that he would fall in love. Until now Hinata was unsure of the blond's true feelings.

He liked other girls and dated some. She was the one who always picked him up when it went wrong, secretly wishing too. Her advice and companionship was what he had all along. She was an understated jewel but he was too blinded by others too notice. Naruto was handsome, kind and talented with his work. What girl can say no to that? And he was definitely on the Hokage's list of candidates. He was going to fulfill his dreams.

Hinata might fall short on hers. Sure she was better at handling family matters and her self-esteem was better than before but she was still unlucky in love. Best in the business but unlucky in love, she sighed to herself. She won't be happy unless Naruto opens his eyes and sees her.

She returned her thoughts to her present situation. "Well, don't drink too much. I don't want you too hung-over to meet with Sayuri-san."

"Oh, hell, I _forgot_!" Naruto said, looking panicked. She shook her head and wondered why he even arranged a date on his birthday if he wasn't going to push through with it. He wasn't some shy little boy anymore. He was a full-grown man with interests on finding the right girl and bringing her to the altar. Hinata only wished he knew what he was doing. His choice of women was a bit strange sometimes. "What'll I do?"

"Go to her... She's been looking forward to it," Hinata said gently. Her fragile heart broke off another piece.

"Really? You think so?" Naruto wondered aloud as he ran a hand casually on his blond hair. His blue eyes twinkled mischievously. "I think I can ask her for a nice present, right?"

"What sort of present?" she asked though her mind wandered away.

"An engagement present?" he asked with a sweet smile. Hinata knew that her fragile heart had finally shattered.

"Sorry to break it so soon but I'd asked her... I don't know if she agreed but I know she will!" Naruto's smile brimmed with promise.

Hinata gave a small sweet-sad smile. "She will," she said softly.

They stopped talking and sat under the cherry blossom tree. He lay on his back while she rested against its sturdy trunk. The grass was soft and warm from the sunshine. It was perfect for lovers. She sighed to herself. If only they had the chance to become lovers.

They had... Or at least, she had to become his lover if it wasn't for her shyness. Well, it was too late for regrets. Some pretty amber-eyed girl would be his lover and wife now. She bit her lip to stop herself from letting her emotions out.

"Hmm... I like all your gifts to me, Hinata-chan." He said out-of-the-blue. Somehow he must've sensed the change in her mood. "What will it be this year?"

Hinata smiled sadly. It struck him as enigmatic and pretty at the same time. He waited. "You'll see."

"Really?" Naruto asked, interested now. "I hope it's as good as the pajamas you sewed for me! I still wear them!"

Her giggles sounded forced. He frowned, aware of something wrong. "Hinata-chan, um, how will you give it to me?"

She got up and brushed the grass from her jeans. He was caught by surprise. Her smile was forced. "I remembered I have something to finish today. I'll see you around, Naruto-kun."

He got up too. "Wait," he said and held her arm "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." Hinata smiled cheerfully to hide whatever turbulent emotion was inside. "Let me go now, please."

"Okay. But what's my gift?" he asked again, interested and confused by her sudden change of attitude. There must be a reason. She was hiding it and showing him at the same time. He just couldn't figure out what...

"If you open your eyes, Naruto-kun, you'd see I've given it to you already." She shrugged his arm off and ran away. He was left with his heart swirling in confusion.

"What did she mean with that?" he asked aloud. The sun smiled at him.

They met again the next day. She was shopping for a few sewing materials. He was looking for her in the market. Unintentionally they found each other on the sidewalk by bumping against each other because they were too distracted to notice.

"Hi!" Naruto greeted brightly.

"Hi," she said dully. He didn't have to wonder what she did last night. Her puffy eyes confirmed his thoughts.

"You look busy." He said with a casual glance to her workbasket. She hitched it closer to her chest and nodded slightly. The sun was shining today. A good sign, especially for him.

"Let's go." Naruto said and led her away. Although Hinata knew she had to get away from him, she still let him. Because whatever happened to them, she was still his best friend. He needed her still.

They arrived at the same cherry blossom tree they sat under yesterday. He sat down and motioned for her to do the same. She sat.

"So, how are you?" he asked conversationally.

"I'm fine." _He doesn't look hung-over_, she noted to herself. _Not that it matters anyway. He has his reasons for celebration._

"So, where's my gift?" he asked again.

He really had the gift of persistence. She had to smile at him.

"MY birthday present is... Well, I'm giving you a prayer actually. But it looked like it already got answered," she said wryly.

"What sort of prayer?" he asked, curious.

"I prayed to God that you may find the woman who inhabited your dreams. I wished that you won't look too far for the woman who'd turn your whole world upside down and inside out, make you want to laugh and cry at the same time and bring light to you always. I prayed that you'll find the woman who'd make you want to spend the rest of your new life with... the one you'll want to eat, sleep, nag, fight and hug with, not to mention make love to. And that you'll have a long, long life so you can share it with her." Hinata said calmly. Her smile was a serene one. She looked as if she sincerely wished for it.

That prayer actually broke her heart last night. It was only her love for him that she wished the best for him in everything he did.

Naruto was silent for quite a while. She twisted the ends of her dress too much already when he spoke.

"Yesterday," he said carefully "you told me to open my eyes."

She nodded coolly. He was staring at her too hard with his intense blue eyes that seemed to know every secret she had and see through her whole soul.

"I'm sorry it took me too long to do so. I wanted to tell you I was stood up by Sayuri first after I decided to stand her up."

It took a whole three seconds for it to sink in. Her hands fell to her lap. "Why?" she asked faintly.

"Well," he said with a shrug "we didn't click. She isn't the woman I wanted after all. And after listening to you... I think I already knew." Naruto was trying very hard not to smile now.

"Knew what, please?" she asked softly.

"That if I opened my eyes a little earlier, I would've realized I had the woman you wanted for me right in front of my nose all along!" Naruto said smilingly. Her hands flew to her mouth and he lunged forward to hug her. They fell with her back to the warm grass and his hard body above her. She was locked on the tightest embrace she'd ever had. And she was enjoying the most wonderful kiss she'd wanted most of her life.

They broke off after a long kiss. They were breathing rather heavily. Hinata wondered vaguely how to remove grass stains from her back. "Happy birthday," she said with a big smile.

"Will you marry me tomorrow?" Naruto asked cheerfully as he produced a diamond ring. He hoped he wasn't too late. He wished she hadn't moved on.

She nodded as her eyes glimmered with happy tears. "Yes. Yes... Even today, I'd marry you..."

They kissed again. Later, Naruto quipped, "you planned this birthday present all along!"

And her angelic laughter rang in his ears and he thought that he would never get tired of the sound of it.

(120506) A/N: I just got hit XD


End file.
